Ireland edge out Scotland in hard-fought Hurling-Shinty International

Hurling-Shinty International Rules Series

IRELAND 3-3 Scotland 2-4

By John Harrington

Ireland retained the Mowi Quaich Cup and made it three wins in a row in the Hurling-Shinty International Rules series after a hard-fought victory over Scotland today.

It was a very physical battle in the tight confines of a windswept Bught Park in Inverness and the home team were stubborn opponents, but Ireland had enough guts and guile to win the game despite a slow start.

It probably should have been a more comfortable victory than it was. Terence ‘Sambo’ McNaughton’s team dominated possession but 17 wides and a heroic performance by Scottish goalkeeper, Bob McGregor, meant it was a game of fine margins.

In the final reckoning it was ultimately a couple of moments of class by Cha Dwyer of Laois that made the difference.

He gave Ireland a badly needed foothold in the game with their first goal on 21 minutes and then scored their decisive third goal four minutes from the end of normal time.

It took Ireland some time to warm to their task as they struggled to get to grips with the compromise rules and Scotland’s direct play.

The home team scored the first goal of the match after just three minutes through their main danger-man, Ruaridh Anderson.

It was a poor goal to concede from an Irish point of view as team captain Dan Morrissey was dispossessed by Iain Robinson who then put the ball into the danger-area.

Cianan Fahy and Eoin Murphy both hesitated fatefully and Lachie Shaw stole in to get his shinty stick to the ball and divert it into the path of Anderson who converted from close range.

Ireland were struggling to get the ball into their forward line and when they did they weren’t clinical enough.

Shane O’Brien had a couple of early chances but hit two wides he was visibly very frustrated with.

Zander Michie extended Scotland’s lead when he showcased the impressive range of a shinty ground-strike by launching a free over the bar from the middle of the pitch.

A minute later Anderson pushed the home team seven points ahead when he lanced a rasping ground-stroke to the bottom right-hand corner of Eoin Murphy’s net.

Ireland were starting to look in real trouble but they settled themselves by responding quickly to that set-back.

Carlow’s James Doyle, who had a fine match, took the initiative by driving at the Scottish defence and unleashing a shot that McGregor did very well to get a stick to, but Dwyer was onto the rebound like a flash and he rose the ball, swivelled, and struck in one fluid movement to drive it to the back of the net.

That goal seemed to energise Ireland and they started to really get a grip on the contest.

Eoghan Connolly, Cianan Fahy, and Gerard Walsh began to get on top in defence and Alan Tynan and Ryan Taylor were increasingly influential in the middle third.

A better supply of ball was making its way into the attack, but it was struggling to stick there.

Not being able to catch the ball meant Ireland’s forwards were having to control the ball on the run and then turn and solo towards goal with it which was no easy feat given the tenacity of the Scottish defence.

Bit by bit, they started to make headway, and their second goal on 39 minutes was beautifully executed.

Dwyer did very well to break the ball into Doyle’s path and the St. Mullin’s man showed great athleticism and skill to set off on a scorching solo-run before driving the ball to the back of the Scottish net.

Ben Conroy nearly scored a third goal for Ireland just before half-time when he emulated Doyle with a jet-heeled solo-run of his own, but McGregor stood strong to divert it out for a ’65 which Connolly converted to level the game at 2-1 apiece.

Another Michie free nudged Scotland ahead after the break but Ireland drew level when Shane O’Brien produced one of the most skilful moments of the match yet to shoot a point on the run from the left wing.

It was a rare moment of clinical finishing from Ireland as they hit wide after wide as the second-half progressed, and it was only when Connolly converted another ’65 on 64 minutes that they took the lead for the very first time.

Despite Ireland’s dominance of possession they couldn’t relax as Scotland nearly scored a couple of goals against the run of play when first Lachie Shaw couldn’t quite divert a pass from Archie MacRae to the net and then Iain Robinson zinged a ground-strike off the post.

Scotland were made pay for those misses when Dwyer struck for his second goal on 76 minutes.

Conroy slung a high ball into the danger zone and his fellow Laois man showed great opportunism and skill to rise highest and flick it to the back of the net.

That goal put Ireland four points ahead but they couldn’t relax as Scotland hit two late points to make the lead a very dangerous one.

It was heart in the mouth stuff when the Scots sent in a couple of high balls in the dying moments of the game, but the physically dominant Irish defence stood strong to rebuff the home team and claim a gritty victory.

The win completed a very satisfying double for the visitors as the Ireland camogie team were also victorious earlier in the afternoon when beating Scotland by 5-3 to 2-0.

Scorers for Ireland: Cha Dwyer 2-0, James Doyle 1-0, Eoghan Connolly 0-2 (2 ’65), Shane O’Brien 0-1,

Scorers for Scotland: Ruaridh Anderson 2-0, Zander Michie 0-2 (2f), Donald Nixon 0-1 (sideline), Daniel MacVicar 0-1

Ireland: Eoin Murphy, Dan Morrissey, Paddy Burke, Gerard Walsh, Cianan Fahy, Eoghan Connolly, David Dooley, Ryan Taylor, James Doyle, Cha Dwyer, Martin Kavanagh, Alan Tynan, Shane O’Brien, Darragh McCarthy. Subs: Ben Conroy, Andrew Kavanagh, Donal Hughes, Nicholas Potterton, Mark Cunningham, Padraig Delaney, Kevin McDonald

Scotland: Bob McGregor, Rory Kennedy, Ryan Harrison, Callum Grant, John Gillies, Danny Kelly, Donald Nixon, Duncan Matheson, Zander Michie, Ruaridh Anderson, Iain Robinson, Daniel MacVicar, William MacKinnon. Subs: Innes Blachall, Daniel Sloss, Craig Mainland, Calum Shepherd, Lachie Shaw, Archie MacRae, Blair Morrison